Sheffield University Tohoku Workshop
In September JLGC attended a workshop at Sheffield University with invited academics from all over the world looking at issues of The Great East Japan Disaster of 11 March 2011, which was notable for being a shock event occurring against the background of a gradually ageing, depopulating and declining region within an advanced economy and de-industrialising society. It was a sudden extreme environmental disturbance, with multi-layered long-term processes of socio-economic expansion and contraction, which is presently rippling outwards across Japan and 21st century East Asia. This workshop and symposium was the first of a series of meetings bringing together scholars and practitioners to research the Tohoku tsunami – its context and impacts, and post-disaster recovery. Its purpose was to develop research questions and approaches that will, when applied, feed into both the academic literature as well as policy-making and implementation processes.
The workshop presented short summaries of research already completed with a view to focusing in the future on the intersection between the long-term ‘disaster’ of regional ageing, depopulation and community decline with the sudden exogenous ‘disaster’ of the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011. JLGC Director Yuichiro Hanyu was invited to present on the experience of local government in the advent of the disaster and the issues they are facing long term, as well as providing examples and suggestions for academics to work with local governments on projects in relation to the reconstruction. Thanks to Dr Peter Matanle for his invitation to the workshop and to Sheffield University for the warm welcome to JLGC.
Local Public Finance Council Visit to the UK
In September a delegation from the Local Public Finance Council visited the UK to investigate the impact of the Localism Act and Local Government Finance Act on the financial activities of UK local governments. The Local Public Finance Council, part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, is an advisory committee which ensures that local authorities receive necessary revenues to carry out public services.
During their time in the UK the group gathered opinions from a range of experts in local public finance including the Welsh Government and Welsh Local Government Association, where they learnt about public finance distribution under a devolved government, and Manchester City Council, where they met with Council Leader Sir Richard Leese and discussed the City’s progressive City Deal programme and the role of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with senior officials. In London and Birmingham they were able to gain a central government perspective through meetings at the Department of Communities and Local Government, as well holding discussions with the Local Government Association, individual councils and prominent commentators and academics. Fortunately their trip coincided with the announcement that Tokyo would host the Olympics in 2020, and they were also able to discuss the financial impacts of planning for the Olympics with Mayor Sir Robin Wales of Newham and Deputy Mayor, Lester Hudson.
The results of their study tour will form several academic papers and contribute to continuing parliamentary discussions over increased devolution of power to regional governments in Japan.
JLGC London Wetlands Visit
JLGC staff visited the London Wetland Visitor Centre, on behalf of Miyagi Prefectural Government to look at how the centre and the wetlands are managed. The centre first opened in 2000, and in 2002 it was recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest as the Barn Elms Wetland Centre. The centre occupies more than 100 acres (40 hectares) of land which was formerly occupied by several Victorian reservoirs tucked into a loop in the River Thames. These were converted into a wide range of wetland features and habitats before the centre opened in May 2000. It was the first urban project of its kind in the United Kingdom. In 2012 London Wetland Centre was voted Britain’s Favourite Nature Reserve in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards.
Miyagi Prefecture is home to the Izunuma-Uchinuma wetlands, a pair of interconnected freshwater lakes in the alluvial plain of the Hasama River. In 1967 the birdlife and habitat of the lakes were designated a Natural Monument. In 1985 an area of 559 hectares was designated a Ramsar Site. In 1996 the sound of the Izunuma-Uchinuma Greater White-fronted Goose was selected as one of the ‘100 Soundscapes of Japan’ by the Ministry of the Environment. Miyagi Prefecture is currently considering how to best manage the site, and researched the Barn Elms Wetland Centre looking for best practice of natural heritage management.
